The Zucker brothers and Nielsen capitalised on the success of Airplane! with the TV show Police Squad, which ran for six episodes in 1982. Here Nielsen is seen alongside Kathryn Leigh Scott and Alan NorthPhotograph: c.Paramount/Everett/Rex Features

Six years later, they revived the series for the first Naked Gun film, with Nielsen back in the saddle as Lt Frank Drebin, with Priscilla Presley as the love interestPhotograph: Allstar/Cinetext/Paramount

Though rumours emerged last year of a another instalment, the Naked Gun series finished in 1994 with 33 1/3: The Final Insult. Nielsen serves tea to cop colleagues George Kennedy and OJ SimpsonPhotograph: Allstar/Paramount/Sportsphoto Ltd